A studio portrait of Reverend George W. Gatewood (1862-1947), itinerant Methodist minister, postmaster of Bermont, author, raconteur, merchant, fisherman, newspaper columnist and real estate salesman.

This photo shows a bevy of beauties riding a parade float sponsored by the Punta Gorda Coca Cola Bottling Company in the Barron Collier Bridge dedication celebration on July 4, 1931. The women included, from left: Virginia Mathison, Dorothy Small, unidentified, Maxine Silcox, unidentified, Angie Roberts, Rebecca Farrier.

This undated photo shows the original vaulted ceiling of the Trabue community hall, covered over during an earlier renovation. The community hall was one of the first buildings erected in Trabue (now Punta Gorda) and was used for public meetings, nondenominational church services and school classes until 1889, when it was purchased by the Methodist congregation. They added a bell tower and a vestibule and held their services there until a new red-brick sanctuary was built in its place on Marion Avenue. The old building was relocated to 233 Harvey Street and converted to a residence. This photo was taken during renovations to turn it into a bed and breakfast inn. Vintage cord and spool (also called knob and tube) electrical wiring can be seen to the right; this type of wiring was common from the 1880s to the early 1930s.

This photo of an unidentified fisherman with a 168-pound tarpon was copied from a 1913 brochure published by the Punta Gorda Board of Trade.

This photo shows storm flags flying over a city park in Punta Gorda, warning of the approach of Hurricane Donna. Donna hit Punta Gorda on September 10, 1960. The signal flag tower was located in a waterfront park at the end of Sullivan Street that is now the site of the Charlotte County Events Center.

This photo shows a member of the Army's Golden Knights skydiving team after making a landing at the Florida International Air Show at the Punta Gorda Airport (formerly called the Charlotte County Airport). The air show has been held annually since 1981.

This door was damaged by a fire set by a vagrant at the Punta Gorda Train Depot. The Depot has since been restored by the Punta Gorda Historical Society.

The Charlotte Motor Company entered this float with a large 'Chevrolet' sign in the parade celebrating the opening of the Barron Collier bridge across Charlotte Harbor. The driver is unidentified.

This photo shows Byron Rhode with Reverend B.F. Oswald's dog, Max, on a footbridge. Max is wanting his tummy scratched.

This view of Arcadia's business district was taken in 1903, before a disastrous fire destroyed forty commercial buildings and three homes on the night of Thanksgiving, November 23, 1905. Only three brick structures survived the blaze. A resolution adopted the next afternoon prohibited construction of any commercial buildings not made of brick or concrete.

This one-room frame schoolhouse at Harborview was also used as a community hall. One teacher taught all grades. U.S. Cleveland's mother, Jean Whiteaker Cleveland, taught here in 1911.

This house, now a shop, is located at 308 Sullivan Street in Punta Gorda.